The present invention relates to an electrical connector. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrical connector used for connecting electronic devices such as personal computers.
Recently, personal computers have begun to use miniature electrical connectors referred to as USB (Universal Serial Bus) connectors, as shown in FIG. 5.
This type of miniature electrical connector, typically includes: a connector socket 2A mounted on a printed circuit substrate 1A. A connector plug 3A, is insertable within connector socket 2A. Connector socket 2A includes a shield case 4A, which is formed by bending a metal sheet in the shape of a rectangular column.
Within shield case 4A, an insulative housing 6A supports four contact pins 5A. Contact pins 5A are laterally arranged side-by-side. An intermediate section of contact pins 5A is fixed to an insulative housing base 6a. This arrangement connects external connecting ends 5a to contact pins 5A. An end support 6B is integrally molded with the upper half of insulative housing base 6a. End support 6B is formed so that its vertical thickness is roughly half that of shield case 4A. A bottom surface of end support 6B supports a contact end 5b of contact pins 5A.
Connector plug 3A connects to connector socket 2A. A shield case 7A, which is formed as a rectangular column, can be inserted inside shield case 4A. A space 8A is formed within a plug shield 7a of shield case 7A and receives end support 6B. A contactor 10A has a contact end 10a positioned directly below space 8A. Contact end 10a is supported by an end support 9a of an insulative housing 9A.
In this conventional connector socket 2A, a pair of fixing claws 11 is integrally molded from ear-ward portions of the side walls of shield case 4A. This allows connector socket 2A to be mounted to printed circuit substrate 1A. The ends of fixing claws 11 are inserted through holes formed on printed circuit substrate 1A. Fixing claws 11 are then soldered to the conductor layer of printed circuit substrate 1A using a solder-dipping method.
However, when connector socket 2A is fixed via fixing claws 11, in the above manner, the connection between fixing claws 11 and printed circuit substrate 1A is weak. Thus, shield case 4A may be deformed if connector socket 2A is "forced" while inserting connector plug 3A. Shield case 4A must be rigid enough to prevent connector 2A from twisting, even if connector plug 3A is forced into position. This requirement is an obstacle to the miniaturization of connector socket 2A.